Why Sanchez hasn’t gone on United’s US tour
STRIKER MISSES START OF UNITED’S STATES TOUR AFTER VISA ISSUES
ALEXIS Sanchez’s preparations for the new season have been plunged into uncertainty after a ‘personal administrative issue’ prevented him from travelling with the United squad to the United States.
United flew to Los Angeles for their two-and-ahalf week pre-season tour on Sunday night without Sanchez, whose name was absent from the check-in list at Manchester Airport.
The 29-year-old returned to Manchester with his lawyer last Tuesday and reported at United’s Carrington training base on Wednesday. Sanchez trained for the rest of the week and, despite his inability to travel on Sunday night, posted an upbeat post on his Instagram page on Monday afternoon. Senior club sources still say they are hopeful Sanchez will link up with the squad in the States at some stage.
It is understood Sanchez’s absence is due to visa issues. In February, Sanchez was handed a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time as a Barcelona player. The Chilean striker was accused of defrauding the Spanish Treasury of €1m and hiding the income of images rights between 2012 and 2013. Sanchez was given two eightmonth sentences, but avoided jail because he is a first-time offender and the sentence is less than two years.
United previously experienced an administrative debacle with defender Marcos Rojo, who was unable to enter the United States for the club’s pre-season tour in 2015. The Argentina international was prevented from boarding a flight to San Jose in California because he had failed to renew his passport and acquire the correct visa.
Sanchez has enjoyed a first summer off since 2013, having represented Chile in the World Cup, two Copa Americas and the Confederations Cup in recent years. United were hopeful a proper pre-season would refreshen Sanchez, who seldom performed following his January arrival from Arsenal.
United play Club America in Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday. If Sanchez is unable to gain entry into the United States then the next available match he can figure in is in United’s final friendly at Bayern Munich on August 5 – just five days before their Friday night Premier League opener against Leicester at Old Trafford.